After LA
by Grey Silverstone
Summary: Kiri's in L.A., but she misses everyone. But when she returns... Isn't life just...funny, sometimes? R&R! -
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey. So, this is my first manga fanfic, but i'm pretty excited. If you haven't read the whole series, it might be k/o a spoiler... Fair warning!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beauty Pop. It belongs to mangaka Kiyoko Arai. But since she didn't finish....

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"_The girl I'm in love with…"_

_"Oh. So _that's _how it is."_

"_YOU'RE AWAKE?"_

The conversation played over and over again in her head as she stared up at the ceiling fan. L.A. was hot in the spring, hotter than she remembered it in Japan. With a sigh, she turned over. In a few minutes, Emi would be shouting upstairs for breakfast. Seiji would throw open the door, and after they had finished, Billy would barge in…

With a groan, Kiri buried her head into her pillow. _And three… two… one…_

"Kiriiiii!!! Breakfast time!" _Right on cue_.

Kiri stopped in the bathroom before going downstairs. _It's growing out…_ She lifted the scissors from their place in the cup next to the sink and, with a few deft cuts, cut her bob back to the usual 2-milimeters past her chin.

"Kiriiiiiii???"

"I'm coming. Jeez, so loud." She replaced the scissors and yawned one more time before leaving the bathroom and trotting down the stairs. She passed Seiji on the way down.

"Oh." He blinked. "That was fast."

"Uh huh." She dragged her feet over to the breakfast table. Her cereal was already poured, eggs to the left and a cheese-covered bagel to the right. She wasted no time or decorum digging in, as Emi watched from the other side.

"So what're _you_ doing today, sweetie?" Kiri shrugged.

They'd only been in L.A. a week; nowhere near long enough to make friends. Billy was working at the same movie studio as her mom, and she usually tagged along—well, was pulled along—on all their errands.

"Billy will be here in…" She looked down at her watch. "Now."

"'Morning!" Billy Iketani burst through the door with a huge grin on his face, plopping down next to Kiri and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Billy…" Emi Koshiba didn't reprimand him; she only laughed as Seiji walked in with a red face.

"What are you doing to my daughter?"

"Didn't you hear? We're getting married!"

"YOU…"

"…" Kiri stood silently and emptied the remnants of her milk into the sink, then walked out to the small porch while Seiji and Billy bickered, Billy returning every remark with a witty one on par.

She looked at the phone she had taken from the counter on her way out. Would it work out here? The rest of SP had promised to call her…

As if on cue, it began to ring. Taking a deep breath, she answered it on the third chime.

"Hello?"

"Puffy-head?"

She snorted. Of course it was Naru-Naru who had called. Why not Kanako? Or Kei?

"You're the one who called, and you're asking who it is?"

"Don't be stupid! What if you're dad had picked up, or something?!" He was getting worked up. She smiled. _Huh_. She missed that.

"What is it?"

"I haven't talked to you in this long, and you're this rude!? Forget it!"

"Ok. Then put someone else on the phone." She heard strange noises in the background.

"**Me **wants to talk to my Kiriti! Give me the phone! Kiriti!!!"

"No! Prince-sama! Prince-sama! Demon-onee-san, give Chisami the phone!"

"NO!! ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!!"

"I miss you…"

"Huh?" She could almost hear Naru-Naru turning red. It made her chuckle.

"Kukukuku…" _Maybe he'll break out into hives…_

"Why are you la… You know what, never mind. Here." She heard the rush of air as the phone was exchanged.

"Kiri-chan!"

"Hi, Kei."

"Kiri! How is it in L.A.? Do you see a lot of famous people?"

"Not really. Well… I don't think I'd recognize them anyway."

"Naru-Naru misses you," Kei whispered. "He still hasn't taken off your hat!"

"KEI!!"

"Pfft….kukuku…" Kiri hung up the phone in a fit of giggles as, on the other side of the planet, Narumi chased Kei around the SP room, over the hat that Kiri had given him on her last day…

"KEI! YOU… STUPID! WHY DID YOU SAY THAT!"

"Because it's true, Naru-Naru-kun."

"No it's not," Narumi snapped, glaring daggers at the small boy.

"Oh yes? Then take it off now." Ochiai peered at Narumi dangerously from behind his glasses.

"I…" Narumi reached up a hand to remove the hat, red-faced. But something stopped him. The hat refused to come off.

The whole room stared at him as he held the hat to his head. He looked down at the ground. It was just like when he got the hat in the first place…


	2. Chapter 2: One Little Message

**A/N:** Thank you for your reviews, Onigiri'Otoro and Ohime x3 ! And, lol, i didn't even notice the onee-chan thing! XD poor naru-naru. Well, this chapter is really part filler, so the next one will be more interesting!

**Disclaimer: **I own none of these characters, :,( Although i wouldn't mind owning billy... ;)

enjoy!

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_**Flashback; a little over a week ago:**_

_Ochai was staring at him. Narumi waited it out. Surely there was nothing that needed that much staring? Staarrreee…_

_"What, Ochai?" he said, finally breaking down._

_Ochai's eyes glinted behind his glasses. "What is that?"_

_Narumi flinched. Was there a bug on him, or something? "What?"_

_"That. On your head," he said, gesturing to the hat on Narumi's head._

_Narumi froze. "Oh, this!" he said, laughing awkwardly and slowly backing away. "It's, um. Ah… Puffy head's hat…"_

_Chisami, Iori, and Ochai swarmed up behind him, all three sets of eyes glinting with untold evils. Narumi fought against a shriek._

_**-End Flashback-**_

Naru-naru shuddered. God, that was horrible. But right now, this was worse. Iori was having a breakdown in the corner after not being allowed to talk to his 'Kiriti,' and Chisami was sending him black-souled glares.

Ochiai looked at Narumi thoughtfully. "You do miss Kiri-kouhai, don't you, Narumi." It wasn't a question.

"I'm hungry," Narumi said abruptly, teetering to his feet."Kei, do you want to come with me to get something to eat?"

Kei nodded, eager as ever.

"Later, everyone," Narumi said, giving a languid wave behind his back.

"Hmm…"

Ochiai stared at his computer screen. It was Kiri's mother's website; he had her schedule for the next year in front of him. Maybe…

He shook his head, mouth lifting into a mysterious half smile. It would be nice if Kiri could visit. And he had enough spare rooms at his house, didn't he? He fired off a quick email, then sat back, content. Wouldn't Naru-naru be surprised…

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"Kiri-chan, who was on the phone?" Billy asked sinking down next to her on the porch stair. Kiri seemed lost- or, at least, more lost than usual.

"Hm? Oh, it was Narumi," she said, smiling blithely.

"Do you miss him?" Billy asked quietly, watching her pensively.

"Well, yes… ah, no. No!" Kiri said, the most flustered Billy had ever seen her. He watched with some amusement as he face turned red. "That it, I miss SP. Don't you?"

"Not really, Kiri-chan. You're my best friend," he added cautiously.

Kiri looked startled for a moment, then her features softened into a sweet smile. "You're my best friend here too, Billy-kun." She wrapped a tentative arm around him in half a hug, then pulled back when he turned his face away.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah… email!" Billy was flustered too, now. He fiddled with his fringe. Kiri eyed it with some longing. She wondered if he would ever let her cut it. "I should go check this…" He pulled out his phone and stood, walking back into the house. Kiri leaned her head back, showing her face to the sun. She had a best friend here, and her mother _and _father. What could be missing? But when she thought of everyone back home…

"KIRI!!" She opened one irritated eye.

_No matter where I go, they're always so _loud_…_


End file.
